Thursday, August 30, 2007
Here’s a tip for any Pontiac Grand Am owner reading this article: Put down the paper and make sure your car is locked.
That message goes for people who drive Honda Accords and Dodge Neons, too.
Owners should pay attention because those cars have been stolen more often than any other kind in Lawrence. Certain car models are greater targets for theft because of their age, foreign value and popularity with drivers.
According to Lawrence Police, 86 cars have been stolen in Lawrence this year as of August 15. Of those stolen, four were Neons. Accords and Chevrolet Silverados were next on the list with three reported thefts each. Grand Ams are hot items on police reports now. Since August 17, two of them have been reported stolen, and a previously stolen Grand Am was recovered.
One of the stolen cars is a 1993 model. Old cars are stolen more often because they usually don’t have an advanced security system, said Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the National Insurance Crime Bureau. They also contain parts people could be looking for to fix their cars. Scafidi said thieves would often steal an old car, remove its parts and sell them to a body shop. Scafidi said lots of body shops engaged in stolen trade so they could offer the parts at prices lower than a dealership.
Scafidi said some car models were targets for theft simply because there were more of them on the road. According to Automotive News, Silverados were the No. 2 selling car in America in 2006. Accords ranked fifth. Nick Blume, a Hays senior who owns a Grand Am, said he’d seen plenty of his model on Lawrence roads.
“Everywhere you look, it seems like there’s a car like mine,” he said. “If you’re going to steal a car, there’s obviously a greater percentage of taking this car.”
Although none of the top stolen cars in Lawrence are luxury cars, vehicles such as BMW’s, Hummers and Cadillac Escalades are also likely to be stolen. Thieves steal these cars to ship them to other countries and sell them on a black market, Scafidi said. He said foreign groups sometimes requested certain types of cars they desired, and thieves in the United States would steal them to make a sale.
“Some other places won’t even allow American cars, so there’s always a thirst for them in other markets,” Scafidi said. “So if you have a dozen Escalades, that will go for good money.”
Lawrence Police Sergeant Paul Fellers and Scafidi advised owners to lock their doors and never leave their car running unattended to avoid theft. Scafidi also said to roll up windows, take keys with you and not leave valuables in plain sight. Those, he said, are the easiest and cheapest ways to keep your car from being added to the list of the most stolen. Blume keeps his Grand Am safe by using an alarm system and locking his car.
“Robberies happen a lot in college towns,” he said. “You just have to lock it every time.”
—Edited by Kyle Carter
Lawrence residents lose cars to theft, but ...
Lawrence police warn about leaving your car unattended after more than five ...
Stolen car causes unexpected financial troubles
One student’s experience with theft reveals the complications involved in reclaiming a ...
Faculty, students victims of casual theft
While only 14 thefts have been reported this semester, safety is still ...
Thieves thrive during spring
Thieves target unattended rec center items
Thirty percent of all campus crimes this semester have occurred at the ...
Bicycle security requires extra steps
Bike thefts caused more than $6,000 in losses so far this semester.
What It Feels Like: To Have Your ...
Summer Bradshaw was a freshman when she became the victim of grand ...
KU Public Safety reported three car thefts ...
After three thefts totaling more than $2,000 in property loss, University Office ...
Bookstores battle back-to-school theft
Bookstores on and off campus are finding ways to decrease the amount ...
Students fall victim to identity fraud
Several students have reported identity fraud cases to Lawrence police in recent ...
Thievery plagues the art and design building
Frequent complaints of stolen art supplies lead students to practice extra caution.
Securing their safety
Keeping personal information from cyber crime
Personal information can be accessed by hackers and thieves in an instant ...
Towing tie-ups confuse students
More towing businesses means more competition for companies and more confusion for ...
Break leaves students vulnerable to looting
Students can take certain precautions before leaving for their Spring Break vacations.
Damaged car was not Pollard's
Markieff Morriss drove teammate Tyshawn Taylor’s car and struck another car on ...
Criminals frequenting area east of campus
Crime statistics indicate that the north, south and west areas of Lawrence ...
Burglars strike during Rush Week
Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority members, living off campus, were burglarized last week ...
Personal information stolen from student housing
Thieves broke in a student housing office Wednesday night, stealing former and ...
Car vandalism rattles Oliver residents
The incidents have ranged in severity from minor paint damage to burglary.
Stolen shot glasses
Schooners, shot glasses, and keg shells are a few of the items ...
Shoplifting provides a thrill
Retailers take precautions to battle theft.
Editorial: Police driving dealers’ rides
Editorial board says police tactic of using drug dealers’ cars not worth ...
Hit-and-run driver identified
Police state Joel Cedric Hernandez was driving the car that struck and ...
Vehicles survive Mass Street Saturday
Parking was the only downer on Saturday night.
Rising pump costs increase gas thefts
Campus police go green
Video game release causes frenzy
Xbox 360 and PlayStation versions of Grand Theft Auto IV have sold ...
Be smart, safe during fall break
Last year’s break brought an increase in crime. The KU Public Safety ...
Teen supspected in break-ins
Precautions before break ensure safety
Before leaving town for the week, students should do small things to ...
Taking a street sign could cost you ...
Stealing a street sign could result in theft charges, a fine up ...
Class teaches students how to spot fraud
By learning the techniques of thieves, accountants will learn how to detect ...
Former officer charged with wire fraud
Robert Sayler, former Lawrence Police officer, accused of selling stolen video games ...
Bicycle thefts often go unreported
Students turn to alternative methods to recover stolen bikes.
$5,000 in rare books stolen from Watson
Rare books and art prints were stolen from Watson Library May 28.
Identity theft can affect anyone
"I immediately realized something was not right," Melanie Krumsick said.
Student reports rape at Lorimar Town Home
An unidentified man reportedly raped a KU student in her Lorimar Town ...
White Owl jailed in connection with protection ...
Judge sets a January court date, $5,000 bond
Hearing scheduled for White Owl
Campus legend accused of violating a protection order, will stand trial in ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID